Category Archives: Craft Organization

Q. My daughter and I have accumulated quite a collection of gloves and mittens. Any suggestions for how we can store them in a way that makes them easy to see?

A. An over-the-door shoe organizer with clear plastic pockets works well for storing gloves and mittens; each pocket can be used to store one pair. A good example is the Clear Vinyl Over the Door Shoe Organizer–it has 26 clear pockets that make it easy to both see and access the contents. It fits on doors measuring up to 1-3/8 inches thick.

This type of organizer actually works well for a wide variety of items, such as socks, toiletries, and crafts supplies.

Craft carts are great storage solutions for more than arts and crafts supplies. With multiple drawers and compartments of various sizes, these handy carts can help you keep all sorts of supplies organized and easily accessible: office supplies, beauty supplies, gift wrapping supplies, pet supplies…

Here are three examples of well-designed craft carts:

The dual-sided Craft Storage Cart has three built-in drawers, a large open compartment and two open shelves on one side; on the back are four dowels, an open compartment and three smaller sections. The dowels can be used for storing ribbons, yarn, rolls of stickers and other spool-oriented supplies.

The slim 10 Drawer Storage Cart consists of 10 plastic drawers in five colors (two drawers of each color) on a steel frame. Each drawer measures 12 inches wide by 15 inches deep and the five colors allow you to color-code stored items; the drawers can be easily rearranged into different color combinations. Two of the casters lock securely in place to keep the cart stationary.

The translucent 12 Drawer Rolling Cart features four large drawers, eight shallow drawers and a spacious top shelf that can be used as a work surface. The metal frame rises into handles on each side for easy transport. And since the drawers are semi-transparent, it’s easy to see what’s stored within them.

Room dividers usually serve three main purposes: to divide a space, create privacy and/or hide an unsightly area (such as a cluttered desk or a water heater).

But some room dividers do even more–they also offer storage, via shelves or pockets, making them useful for creating a home office, a study space or even a mini crafts room. And of course they’re also ideal for organizing dorm rooms and other shared spaces.

Here are three different kinds of room dividers with storage:

The Walnut Room Divider with Book Shelves features four wooden shelves in a four-panel folding wood frame. The shelves simply slide into the panels to create space for books or whatever else you want to store and keep handy. Depending on how you configure the panels, the shelves can be threaded through so that there is shelving on both sides or on just one side. You can also use this room divider without the shelves.

The 3-Panel Fabric Room Divider with Pocket Holders includes 24 fabric pockets (all on one side) attached to cotton canvas suspended on three wood rods at the top, middle and bottom of each panel. The rods are removable and the canvas is washable. The pockets are sized well for everything from office supplies to accessories (each is approximately 7 3/4″ tall x 5 3/4″ wide), and they can be labeled, decorated or left unadorned.

Got craft clutter? If you’re a crafter, the answer is probably “yes!” Whether your favorite creative activities include beads, fabrics, yarn, paint, glue, paper, pens, glitter, thread or all of the above, you’re dealing with crafts supplies that can easily get out of hand (literally).

Fortunately there’s a wide variety of arts & crafts organizers specifically designed for the many different types of crafting materials. Consider these three that are perfect for keeping all kinds of bits and pieces in place:

Artbins are divided containers made for organizing and storing sewing, knitting, scrapbooking, beading and other craft supplies. (Constructed of acid-free polypropylene, they’re safe for storing art supplies too.) One example is the Artbin Super Satchel which comes in two different models with fixed and stationary compartments. Easy to carry, with snap closures and convenient handles that fold neatly into a recess when not in use, the design is also easily stackable for storage.

The Bead Storage Bag and Containers is a portable storage system consisting of a nylon carrying case that holds five removable and stackable clear plastic 10-1/2-inch long containers, each with 17 compartments (a total of 85 compartments). The carrying case itself is a storage center, with five Velcro-closure pockets for storing jewelry-making tools; a sewn-on heavy-duty handle is on top, and the bag also includes a removable shoulder strap .

For storing larger arts & crafts materials, the Kids Art Supply Organizer is a terrific storage solution–just don’t be put off by the name. This clever cart isn’t just for kids: it’s a rolling organizer that’s ideal for serious crafters and artists of all ages. The blue metal frame has three shelves with three large bins and four medium bins (all included and removable), along with eight side pockets for holding small supplies. Locking casters make the cart easy to roll anywhere and then keep it safely in place.

Rolling storage drawers are one of the easiest ways to create instant accessible storage. These mobile carts–available in a variety of drawer sizes and configurations–are especially useful for organizing everything from clothing, linens, accessories and toys to all types of supplies: office supplies, paper goods, non-perishable food….whatever you want to keep handy yet out of the way.

Here are some of my favorite types of rolling storage drawers:

The Wide Three-Drawer Storage Chest rolls anywhere you need it and offers three spacious drawers (19 1/4 inches wide x 6 1/4 inches high x 14 inches deep) constructed of clear, acid-free plastic to allow for quick identification of contents such as art and scrapbook supplies in the craft room; paper and office supplies at work; clothing and linens in a closet; or tools and parts in the garage. Each drawer can be removed from the frame for easy loading and unloading. The four casters are also removable.

For storing smaller or fewer items, the slim (12.8 inches wide), clear Plastic Storage Chest with 4 Drawers includes two shallow drawers (each 3 inches high) atop two deeper drawers (each 7 inches high). The entire unit is topped with a divided organizer that provides conveniently accessible storage for frequently used supplies. Four casters offer mobility or can be removed for a stationary storage solution.

If you prefer opaque drawers, the sleek Three Drawer Mobile Storage cart features three black polyester drawers with metal grommets and reinforced bottoms; a top shelf cradled by chrome handles; and heavy-duty locking casters.

Q. I have a jewelry-making business and I need a good way to store my items for my crafting. I have items as small as the seed beads to large beads, wire, multiple colors, and just imagine with this type of business how difficult it is to store all my items that is also easy to see what I need when I need it?!

A. Depending on the quantities, sizes and how many kinds of supplies you need to keep on hand, there are multiple craft storage options to choose from. The ones that seem most popular with beaders and jewelry-makers are: